196 Diet Wise
smokers into every level of objectionable behavior. Its basis is envy, plain
and simple. If you have ever watched someone try to give up smoking, you
may have been struck by the way ‘friends’ pester, wheedle and even try to
trick them into starting again. Clearly, smokers like company and don’t want
anyone implying their habit is filthy by attempting to give it up.
The same sad rules seem to apply to bad eating habits. Rather than
court trouble or hostility from others whose company you keep and perhaps
rely on, it is better to be discreet and keep what you are doing to yourself.
Just stay at home until you have worked through the program.
Restaurant eating is even more impractical: most menus feature
little or nothing without wheat, milk or sugar, and the dieter is left out in
the cold. If you can find a place with understanding staff that will cater to
your needs, so much the better – enjoy yourself. But the usual reception
for anyone who wants to be different is being treated as a crackpot. Quite
likely this will offset any pleasure you may derive from successfully eating
out. Again, there often arises a need to defend the status quo, as if in saying
‘I don’t want your food’ you are implying it is unwholesome or disgusting.
Waiters and chefs are more likely to he hostile than sympathetic, but try it
if you must.
One surprise problem in a restaurant environment is that of
odors: after unmasking a number of food allergies, it occasionally happens
that food odors cause nausea. This is logical if you consider it, but hardly
helpful when you are trying to enjoy your meal. Also, general food smells
may stimulate urgent cravings for forbidden foods that you find really hard
to resist.
On the whole it is better not to dine out during the initial test period,
but if you find you must, for business engagements or other reasons, a few
simple precautions will prevent you getting into difficulties; after all, the last
thing you want in front of a potential client is to be made to look foolish or
a crackpot by a smart aleck waiter. First of all, decide ahead of time where
you want to eat. Telephone for the menu and find out if there are any a
la carte items that would suit you. Licensed restaurants are usually able to
serve mineral waters or juices. Choose melon (no sugar), avocado (skip the
vinaigrette) or smoked salmon (this has usually no coloring) as starters. For
the main course you can have fish or meat with salad; just avoid any sauces.
It is better to avoid the dessert altogether, or ask for plain fruit.
A helpful maître d’hôtel can make your visit as smooth as possible
under the circumstances. Just hope you don’t hit on an establishment
like the one a patient of mine did. A tactful phone call made in advance
had appeared to have everything discreetly arranged, but in front of the
assembled guests a waiter came up and said in a loud voice, so that everyone